


Christmas With the Kents

by Negateaux



Category: Supergirl (Comics), Superman (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:54:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27953462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Negateaux/pseuds/Negateaux
Summary: It's Christmas Eve in Metropolis and Kara attends a strange human celebration known as Christmas with her cousin and the Superfamily
Relationships: Clark Kent & Kara Zor-El, John Henry Irons/Lana Lang
Kudos: 2





	Christmas With the Kents

**Author's Note:**

> I imagine this taking place right after Supergirl issue 18 when she attends the dance. This is firmly in the Rebirth continuity.

One thing Clark had never prepared Kara for when she’d arrived on Earth was just how  _ slow _ riding in someone’s car was. She stares out of the passenger side mirror as the lights of Metropolis pass by. Every urge in her body screams at her to open the door, damn the consequences, and get to the party. But she does as Clark always says,  _ adjust your glasses, take a breath and remember why we do what we do. _ So she does. 

“Anyone ever tell you, you mess with your glasses a lot?” She turns to the driver, a small smile at her lips. 

“Pretty rich coming from you, Ben.” Ben Rubel nods but doesn’t look at her. 

“Fair enough,” He says as he adjusts his own glasses. “Hey, have you looked over that last article I sent you for our Supergirl piece? I thought it was pretty decent but I feel like it’s missing something. I hoped you might put that Kara Danvers spin on it.” Immediately, Kara’s mind is filled with getting punched in the face by the latest alien she had to fly across the city to fight. A fight she was most certainly having instead of fixing the article. 

“I am sorry, I have not really looked at it. I was busy studying.”

“Kim’s Calculus again?”

“You got me.” It’s a lie but only in part. She actually was struggling with that class. Human math was so...prehistoric compared to what she studied on Krypton. It’s amazing they get anything done.

“Maybe after we finish the article I can come help you study? I have a pretty good grasp on this latest part.”

“Thank you, Ben but I think I’m going to pass. If I can’t figure it out on my own then I’ll never get it.” Ben looks over, his deep brown eyes locking onto her blue’s for a split second.

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how learning works but I know you do things your own way. I’ll respect your wishes.” She smiles at him. A genuine one before he pulls his car to the side of the road. “This is the place, I think.” Ben leans towards her side of the car to get a better look at the building. “Your cousin lives here? He must be someone important.” 

“Hardly. Just someone really good at his job.” 

“Damn, and he’s a reporter too? I’ll have to step my game up if I want to live in a place like this.”

“We will both have to.” Kara reaches towards the car door and stops for just a second. She feels like she’s forgetting something. She turns back and stares at Ben. He raises his eyebrows.

“What, do I have something on my face?” She cocks her head.

“Should we...you know?” He scans her eyes for a moment clearly not knowing what she means.

“Should we, what?”

“You know.”

“I don’t.”

“Like on the beach.” His eyes widen with understanding and his mahogany cheeks redden ever so slightly.

“I mean, if you want to. Do you? Want to, I mean?”

“I think I do.” Kara removes her seatbelt and adjusts in her seat so she’s facing him. She can hear his heartbeat increase along with her own. They move slowly, closer to one another until their lips lock. The contact doesn’t last long before Kara pulls away from him. She still wasn’t used to the act of kissing but she knew in a parked car in front of Clark’s apartment wasn't the right place to practice. “Was that okay?” She asks. 

“I would call it satisfactory.” Ben says with a coy nod. 

“As would I.” Kara pulls the door handle and steps out on the Metropolis sidewalk. She turns and gives Ben another smile. “I really appreciate you driving me all the way here. I’m sure there are other things you’d rather be doing than driving me around.” Ben waves a hand in the air.

“Ah, don’t worry about it. I’ve got plenty of work to catch up on at home. It was nice to get out of the house.” She hears a slight skip in his heart rate. A telltale sign of a lie. “Have fun, Kara. I’ll see you at school.” Kara closes the door as she sees Ben prepare to leave. She wants to invite him to the party but it would open up too many questions about why certain people were attending. Secret identities and all that.

“See you at school, Ben.” She says more to herself than him. She watches him drive off into the busy Metropolis streets for a hair longer than she thinks is appropriate. It had only been three days since they had their first kiss but she still couldn’t nail down what her feelings for Ben actually were. He was by no means her boyfriend. She hadn’t had a real one of those since coming to Earth. Ben seemed to like her, the Kara Danvers version of herself anyway. But he didn’t like Supergirl. He didn’t like the real her. How could they ever forge a real relationship with something like that?

It’s in fleeting moments like this when her mind wanders to Mike. The only other boy she ever felt any real affection for. Mike never knew Kara. He only ever knew her as Supergirl. And despite being bound to a wheelchair, he’d always treated her like an _ actual  _ person. Something she had truly lacked at that time in her life. It was probably her favorite thing about him. 

She shakes off the creeping feeling of sadness. She hasn’t seen Mike in months, with no idea where he disappeared to. She fears she’ll never see him again. She slaps the sides of her cheeks, adjusts the scarf around her neck she doesn’t need and heads into the building.

The lobby is pristine, shiny black tile floors and furniture that looks like you actually  _ aren’t  _ supposed to sit in it line the room. A single security guard in a black tux waits behind a desk.

“How can I help you, ma’am?” She says flatly.

“Yes, I am looking for Clark Kent’s apartment. He is expecting me.” The guard looks her over. Likely trying to gage whether she’s a crazy person or not. 

“Name?”

“Kara Danvers. He is my cousin.” The guard picks up her phone and dials a button. 

“I’ve never heard anyone with an accent like your before. Where are you from?” Kara’s eyes widen. She’s gotten the question many times since she enrolled in regular school. Her accent was the native Argo accent but she hadn’t nailed down the closest Earth approximation.

“Oh, me? It is-” She’s cut off as the woman speaks into the phone.

“Yes, hello Mr. Kent. Sorry to bother you this evening but I have a Kara Danvers here in the lobby for you. Yes. Okay. I’ll send her right up.” Kara thanks her, with no desire to answer her previous question and proceeds through the barrier that leads to the elevator. Another obstacle she could have overcome without the guard even being aware. But no, must always do things Clark’s way.

Once she’s in the elevator, she reaches to grab her glasses and stops.  _ Cameras. Damn. _ Seems she needs to wait a little longer before she could relieve herself of these things. She exits the elevator, the floor beyond being nothing more than an empty hallway. She makes her way down the hall and unwraps her scarf as well as removing her glasses. As soon as the glasses leave her face, her long brown hair begins to shift. From root to end, it quickly loses its deep brown and becomes her natural bright blond. That DEO tech doing wonders for keeping her two lives different. Something she wished she didn’t need to do.

At the end of the hallway the sound of five heartbeats fills her ears.  _ Strange. I expected six. _ She does a tiny knock on the white door. A mix of voices pitching higher at the new sound. She tries to hear but it’s drowned out by whatever infernal music Clark is playing in the background. Footsteps hurry towards the other side of the door before it swings open. A teenage Chinese boy stands in a pose one the other side of the door. He’s got a wide grin on his face. “Merry Christmas, Super-uh Kara!” A grin crosses her own face.

“Kenan!  _ This is quite a surprise _ .” Kara says in Mandarin. She crosses the threshold and quickly wraps her arms around Kenan. She’s only met him twice before but Kenan had quickly proven himself a good friend.

“ _ Superm-ah I mean, Clark flew all the way to China to get me. It was super cool of him.” _

“ _ Are you still having problems with flying?” _

“ _ I’m working on it, getting stronger everyday! _ ” Kenan flexes his arms. “ _ Master I-Ching’s lessons are... _ rough.” Kenan finishes in english. “Sorry, I’m trying to improve my english.”

“You already sound better than the last time I saw you.” Kenan runs a hand through his spiky black hair.

“Thanks, Kara. Come on in, don’t let me...hold you.” She smiles at his slight error in word use and moves past him. Kara hasn’t seen Clark’s apartment yet but she expects it to be rather stuffy for lack of a better term. It being home to two reporters and a ten-year old makes her think that it would be cluttered with papers and toys but instead it had been completely decked out for the holiday the human called Christmas. On Kyrpton, they had something similar near the middle of the yearly cycle when certain stars would line up in the cosmos. Though usually the event was just for close family. This was her second Christmas and she still wasn’t really sure she understood.

“Kara!” Clark yells as he turns away from a stove. He still wears his glasses, something that still surprised her. He’s decked out in one of those sweaters with way too many colors that she keeps hearing are supposed to be ugly for some reason. Clark closes the distance and his large arms around her in a crushing hug. “I’m so glad you made it. We were just about to sit down and eat. Please,” he motions to the nearby brown table. “Take a seat.” He quickly heads back to the kitchen, eager to finish cooking.

“Hey, Aunt Kara.” Kara hears before she can even respond to him. She turns to the voice and is met by Jon, wearing a smaller version of the same sweater his father wears.

“Jon, it’s good to see you. Where is your mom?” Kara says and she tousells the boy's hair. Jon’s usual grin fades away.

“Mom’s ‘on assignment’ as she calls it. She says she’s not going to make it tonight because she’s chasing some big story.”

“Your mom’s work is very important, Jon. I’m sure she would be here if she could.”

“Yeah,” He says dejected. “I still wish she was here though.” Kara nods.

“Me too, Jon and I am sure your dad misses her too.” She kneels down and gives her nephew a hug, one he returns in earnest. His messy black hair sticking in her nose.

“Thanks, Aunt Kara. I’ll be okay. Especially after I eat Dad’s apple pie!” Jon turns away and super speeds his way to the dinner table. “Hurry up, Dad. Use your super speed?”

“Remember, Jon, we don’t use our powers for everyday tasks. Plus, it’s not going to make the oven cook any faster.” Clark says without turning. Kara turns to the couch and sees a pair of heads, one much taller than the other. She walks around to get a good look at them.

“Glad you could make it, Kara.” Lana Lang says as she and John Henry get up from their spot on the couch.

“Group hug incoming.” John Henry says as he wraps his absolutely  _ massive _ arms around Kara and Lana.

“I haven’t seen you two since our battle against Zod’s revenge squad.” Kara says as she looks between them. “How are your powers coming along, Lana?”

“Still a lot to learn.” The red-head says with a sway of her ponytail. “Like Kenan over there,” She says as she points a thumb over to him. “I couldn’t do much without a good teacher.” She cranes her neck to look up at her boyfriend with a smile. 

“Hey now,” John Henry says as he flashes his perfect white teeth, contrasting will with his deep brown skin. “I’m just imparting what little hero knowledge I have. Watch, any day now, you’ll be flying circles around Superman over there. You won’t even need me.” 

“Not worth doing without you, babe.” The faintest glow of red energy shimmers around Lana as she floats a foot off the ground until she’s face to face with John Henry. Seeing where this is going, Kara turns away with a grin on her face and red on her cheeks before heading over to the table to join Jon and Kenan who've taken their place. Both yelling at Clark to hurry. She decides it’s probably time to join them.

Kara takes her seat at the table between Lana and Kenan, the oven making its signature beep as Clark pulls out the main course. Two months ago, Clark had invited Kara to an event called “Thanksgiving” which seemed to amount to nothing more than a bunch of food eating. The spread now was mostly similar, some form of large fowl, some strange cylindrical and gooey purple stuff, something that supposedly had seven layers and various other finger foods she didn’t know the name of. Clark takes a seat at the head of the table. “Before we start,” Clark says. “I’d like to take a minute to-” He’s cut off when a noise draws everyone's attention. Kara looks over to see Kenan with a mouthful of food already. He stops and notices everyone’s stares. He smiles bashfully. 

“Uh, my bad.  _ Keep going. _ ” Clark shakes his head.

“As I was saying. I’d like to just thank everyone again for coming out tonight. You guys really got me out of a bind with that whole Zod thing and with Lois not being here…” He trails off as he adjusts his glasses. “I’m just glad you could all share Christmas Eve with me and Jon. So consider this dinner my thanks.” He picks up a glass of bubbly golden liquid and raises it in the air. John Henry and Lana raise a similar glass but only clear water is in the glasses beside Kara, Kenan and Jon. They all raise their glasses anyway. 

“Cheers!” Jon yells from the other side of the table. They all reach in and clink their glasses together. Very, very carefully.

The meal continues and Kara finds herself enjoying it more and more every second. She looks around the table and visualizes everyone in their costumes. Each bearing something resembling her family symbol and for just a moment she feels like she’s back on Krypton again and here is the House of El united once again. She thinks Clark to be the lucky one, to never have those memories to hold onto, weighing him down the way her memories do. To him, this  _ is _ the House of El, the only version that will ever mean much to him anyway.  _ Or would it be the House of Kent? _ She thinks to herself. Maybe they should start wearing K’s on their clothes. 

“Kenan! Bet I can eat more pie than you!” Jon’s voice cuts through her thoughts. 

“You’re on, shrimp!” The two of them shove their forks into Clark’s freshly baked pie and start eating, stray food from across the table begins flying into everyone’s plates. Kara hears the adults around the table start to protest. Kara can’t help but laugh.

After dinner, and after Clark makes Jon and Kenan clean up their mess, he gathers everyone around his living room. John Henry returns to his spot on the couch, Lana placing herself on his lap. Kara takes the middle seat and Kenan takes the right while Clark and Jon sit on the floor close to the tree that he’s covered in lights. Apparently another human tradition.

“I didn’t think it right to end the evening without one last touch.” Clark says with excitement. A gust of wind blows past everyone in the room as Clark speeds into a nearby hallway. A moment later, and another wind gust later, he’s back. Arms filled to the brim with brightly colored boxes. “Merry Christmas, everyone.”

“Clark,” Lana begins. “You didn’t…”

“Of course I did. I wanted to get everyone here a little something. Not just to say thanks for your help with Zod but because you guys are my family too. And sometimes you get your family presents!” Kara shakes her head, embarrassed by Clark’s show of emotion. Still, she finds the thought bringing her a small degree of joy. She didn’t have many people on Earth she trusted. Maybe having a group of people you chose to call family would make her feel less lonely. Her mind drifts to Krypton but she shakes the thought away. Krypton was gone, but her cousin was here. These heroes wearing her family's symbol on their chests were here. She should be here as well.

“Enough with the feelings, Dad. What’d you get us?”

“Patience, Jon. We’ll get there.” Clark stands and begins passing out everyone’s gifts of all varying sizes and shapes. Kara’s box is large and rectangular. It’s wrapped in a shiny purple wrapping and tied together with green string. She can hear the others start to tear into their gifts. Jon and Kenan being the most eager to see what’s inside. She starts to reach towards the seams of the gift when she hears a faint tingle in her ears. “Kara.” The voice is a whisper. She doubts anyone other than Kara and Clark would have heard it unless they were listening for it. She looks up towards the sound and finds Clark smiling at her. He motions his head to the side and gets up, inviting her to follow. She gets up, places her gift back on the couch and follows him to the kitchen.

Clark pours himself some water and leans against a nearby wall. “What is it, Clark?” Kara says with a hint of concern.

“It’s nothing, I just wanted to see how you were doing away from all that.” He motions to the excited group opening gifts. “You seem a little distant.”

“I...no. I am just not used to all of this. We don’t have anything like this on Krypton.”

“No celebrations?”

“We celebrate. It is just a bit more reserved I guess.” Clark takes a sip before responding.

“There’s so much I still don’t know about Krypton. The fortress shows me things but even after years of watching the records, it still feels so-”

“Alien.” Kara says with a smirk.

“I was going to say distant actually but I guess that works as good as anything else.” He takes another drink. “I hope you visit again soon and tell me more about it.”

“I would like that, cousin.” Clark stretches his arms out and brings Kara in for a hug. “I love you, Kara. I hope you know that.”

“I love you too, Clark. I’m glad I didn’t need to change your diapers.” The two of them laugh as they separate.

“Now,” Clark starts again. “Who’s this Ben you came here with?” An instant flush goes to Kara’s face.

“I-” Her words are cut off when a sound rips through her ears. A quick glance to Clark shows he hears the same thing. People are in danger. Clark and Kara nod to each other.

“Everyone.” Clark says firmly enough so the rest of them stop what they're doing and turn to him. “Intergang is loose in Metropolis and fire has broken out downtown.” To Kara’s surprise, Clark’s widest grin yet spreads across his face. “Why don’t we show the people of Metropolis the Superfamily’s got their back?”

“Hell yeah!” Kenan says, already throwing off his shirt and jacket. “ _ I was hoping for some action.” _ Kenan’s deep red suit glistening in the faint glow of the Christmas lights. 

“I don’t know what the last thing he said was,” Jon says. “But if it means kicking bad-guy butt, I’m in!” Jon speeds off to his room and comes back a few seconds later in his Superboy jacket, jeans and cape.

“Guess we’re doing this.” Lana says with a sigh. “And here I was hoping to enjoy a quiet Christmas for once.” A faint red glow forms around Lana as she takes off her jacket to reveal her sleek red and white super suit. The glow increases and sparks with red electricity once she’s removed her exterior clothing. “Did you bring your super-suit, babe?” John Henry stands from the couch and presses a button on his wrist watch.

“Not my most powerful version, but it should do.” His watch morphs into a silver, almost liquid like substance that slowly covers his whole body until he looks almost like a glistening statue. “Ready, Clark.” Kara and Clark look at each other one more time before they do as the others have. The blue and red costumes of the House of El matching one another. Clark presses a button on his belt and a small window opens up on the ceiling. Clearly one Clark used for just such an occasion.

“You want to say it, cousin?” Clark asks her.

“Not even a little.” Clark laughs.

“I’ll do it!” Jon says with a small hop. “Up, up and away.” With that they were no longer Clark, Kara, Jon, Kenan, Lana and John Henry. What leaves that apartment that Christmas eve, and what the citizens of Metropolis see that evening is the Superfamily. Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, Super-Man, Superwoman and Steel streaking across the night sky.

* * *

Epilogue

Lex Luthor is no stranger to spending Christmas Eve alone. In fact, he prefers solitude, always has. His recent brush with his sister reminded him of this fact. He throws off his green suit jacket onto his office chair, rolls up his sleeves and loosens his tie. It’s dark in his hotel room, another thing he prefers at least at the moment. He heads over to the window and rolls the blinds away, revealing the bright Tokyo skyline. He’s been around the world so many times it’s difficult to find any joy in any place on Earth. Not after being to space. He looks down at the people making their way across the street. Living their meager lives, toiling away at the same jobs over and over. The kind of meaningless work that he fought so hard to escape from as a child. 

He spies a man, nothing discernible about his from this high up aside from his obvious weariness. Lex wonders how long the man can do whatever nonsense he does before he ends up the same dejected shell of a man everyone turns out to be. Lex chides himself.  _ You’re not supposed to think that way anymore. _ He tells himself. It’s like he can hear Superman whispering in his ear to care about these  _ regulars _ . The thought still seems so foreign to him. But he did make a promise. A promise to be better and it is one he intends to keep.

A knock at his door breaks through his thoughts. “Come in.” He says flatly without turning.. The door opens and the sound of heels fills the room.

“Delivery for you, Mr Luthor.”

“Place it on my desk. Thank you, Mercy.” She says nothing in response as the heel sound recedes from the room. He turns to the desk and sees a small piece of paper where there wasn’t one before. He picks it up and can barely handle how ridiculous it is.

It’s a photo, one of Superman standing next to a Christmas tree. He’s grinning like a fool and waving. The photo has a simple message. “Enjoy, Tokyo. Merry Christmas.” Lex stares at the picture for a long moment and despite how hard he tries to fight it, the smallest hint of a grin crosses his face.

**Author's Note:**

> I was feeling festive so I wanted to write about my favorite supers! I wish there was more content for these guys as a group. A few things to note if you don't read comics: In the books, Supergirl has an accent that no one knows were it's from as commented on by classmates. It's because of this that she doesn't use contractions. She also speaks Mandarin as shown in an earlier issue. As it is in Rebirth, that would explain why certain characters are there and others are not. Lastly, I know National City and Metropolis are not that close but I wanted to write the scene and it was too late to change it. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it.


End file.
